Review by D Horimoto

I’ve spent over a month listening to Manatsu no Yoru no Yume, or A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to give an informed review. Its another good and entertaining release worth buying. Opener Night Wail appears to be a straight rocker but pulls an unexpected time signature change which leads to an understated guitar solo that contrasts the frantic rhythm. Then, at what seems the end another time change calls back to the opening notes. Music of Downfall has no changes. Its just a barreling locomotive! Youth Beyond the Wasteland is a Shinji Wajima slide guitar exhibition. Flying Saucer features harmonized vocals, heavy Theremin use and an intro reminiscent of 1960’s American television series The Twilight Zone. Next is frenetic Monkey’s Fleet. On the menacing Necrology, bassist Ken-ichi Suzuki should be credited as the vocalist/growlist. Daydream is 180 degrees different, laid back and chill. Peony Lantern is a bass heavy, mid tempo scary sounding tune. Being based on a Japanese ghost story, it should. Research it and find out why. Flowers for World is the longest song here featuring a lot of spoken word. The dialogue and music build together like waves and fall. Pus Story is rightly included on the 20 year best of set while That’s All for Tonight are on both the 25 and 30 year sets. Track 11, The Obese Angel, is another heavy song that could have taken its place on either. Overall, the mixture of heavy stuff, lighter fare and the time signature changes this is another good album worth buying. Track listing: 1. Night Wail 2. Music of Downfall 3. Youth Beyond the Wasteland 4. Flying Saucer 5. Monkey’s Fleet 6. Necrology 7. Daydream 8. Peony Lantern 9. Flowers for World 10. Pus Story 11. The Obese Angel 12. That’s All for Tonight If you like metal, own this music.

I have been listening to this album non stop for the last 3 weeks so I could give a thorough review. The verdict...this is an absolutely great listen. With so many good songs its hard to pick favorites, although tracks 7 and 13 appear on the 25th anniversary 2 disc set. In reality, any of these songs could be on a best of set. 2 songs of note are 4 and 11. Blissful Rock n Roll sounds A LOT like early Kiss. Guitarist Shinji Wajima pulls out at least 5 of Ace Frehley’s trademark moves during the solo and drummer Nobu Nakajima is definitely channeling vintage Peter Criss complete with cowbell. Mystery of Long Autumn Nights is another unique song. It almost sounds headed in a Top 40 pop tune direction but does not quite reach it. At one point the band references 1960s American girl group the Shangri Las by way of Aerosmith and elsewhere bassist Ken-ichi Suzuki gives a nod to John Entwistle of The Who. How often do you hear that in one song? These guys have obviously soaked up plenty of American and British rock and metal history. Anyway the combination of heavy stuff and fun stuff creates a great and enjoyable experience. Mirai Roman Ha or Futuristic Romanticism track listing 1 Downfall of the Sun 2 Shining Will 3 Declaration of Romantic School 4 Blissful Rock n Roll 5 Law of Love 6 Red and Black 7 Hades Cafe 8 The Man in the Tower 9 Dance Music to the Moon 10 Mr. Yama 11 Mystery of Long Autumn Nights 12 Cradlesong of Want Perfectly 13 The Abyss If you like metal own this music

I have been listening to this album non-stop for the last 3 weeks so I could give a thorough review. The verdict...this is an absolutely great listen. With so many good songs its hard to pick favorites, although tracks 7 and 13 appear on the 25th anniversary 2 disc set. In reality, any of these songs could be on a best of set. 2 songs of note are 4 and 11. Blissful Rock n Roll sounds A LOT like early Kiss. Guitarist Shinji Wajima pulls out at least 5 of Ace Frehley’s trademark moves during the solo and drummer Nobu Nakajima is definitely channeling vintage Peter Criss complete with cowbell. Mystery of Long Autumn Nights is another unique song. It almost sounds headed in a Top 40 pop tune direction, but does not quite reach it. At one point the band references 1960’s American girl group the Shangri-Las by way of Aerosmith(!) and elsewhere bassist Ken-ichi Suzuki gives a nod to John Entwistle of The Who!! How often do you hear that in one song? These guys have obviously soaked up plenty of American and British rock and metal history. Anyway, the combination of heavy stuff and fun stuff creates a great and enjoyable experience. Mirai Roman Ha, or Futuristic Romanticism, track listing: 1 Downfall of the Sun 2 Shining Will 3 Declaration of Romantic School 4 Blissful Rock n Roll 5 Law of Love 6 Red and Black 7 Hades Cafe 8 The Man in the Tower 9 Dance Music to the Moon 10 Mr. Yama 11 Mystery of Long Autumn Nights 12 Cradlesong of Want Perfectly 13 The Abyss If you like metal, own this music!

Virus lockdowns may have been a low point for a lot of people but not these guys. Ningen Isu has put out another stunning album. Kuraku or Pain and Comfort is 13 tracks of high quality hard rock. From the first few chord strums of Toshisun to the end of Yoakemae this release is a barrage of sharp brutal rhythms and riffery coupled with unrelenting drumming. On top of that of course is the stellar and searing guitar solos of Shinji Wajimi. If everybody who reads American magazine Guitar World or listens to Metallica bought this album or 2019s New Youth or Ghost Stories and Eros and Thanatos from 2016, this band would unmistakably receive the recognition they deserve. I have listened to this at least 30 times since receiving it after my pre order and its great every time. Some bands release albums with a majority of good songs and a little bit of filler. Others have a few good songs plus a lot of filler. This album has no filler. None Zip Zilch Nada. These songs are either awesome or slightly less than awesome but still great. My personal favorites are tracks 1 3 5 thru 7 9 10 and 13. If you like metal own this music! Track listing 1 Toshisun 2 March of the Gods 3 Devil’s Prescription 4 The Darkness King 5 Human Robots 6 Space Pirate 7 Go GT 8 Jinta the Apocalypse 9 Go Over You Worry Be Joy 10 Ecstatic Mantis 11 Supreme Lips 12 Ghost of the Body 13 Before the Dawn

I listen to this at least 7 times the day I received it. Its that good. A live recording from October 15 1977 so around 4 months before the first album dropped. This thing is crazy good! I may be biased because I love old VH and Eddie so much I have listened to the first 6 VH albums and A Different Kind of Truth literally thousands of times. Anyway, on with the review. The show opens with On Fire. Right at the end you can hear a little bit of the end of Hang Em High. This is followed by Feel Your Love Tonight and Runnin With the Devil. Both feature slightly different arrangements with Feel having slightly different lyrics. If you listened closely so far, you would’ve heard the Opel car horns that open VH 1 and Runnin. Strangely, they don’t use the horns here. Next is Atomic Punk. WOW!! This sounds amazing! Ed’s guitar cuts out for a few seconds and, again, slightly different lyrics but still incredible. Plus, there is a short drum solo from Alex at the end. Little Dreamer follows with different lyrics again. The first of 2 songs from VH 2 show up. Somebody Get Me A Doctor intros with different music and arrangement. The guitar solo is also longer. There are very few pictures of David Lee Roth with a guitar. When he did play an acoustic, I think it was to intro Ice Cream Man. Here he lets Ed do it on the electric. As the song goes up throttle Ed cuts out for a few seconds but still sounds good. This is followed by a pretty faithful rendition of Ain't Talkin Bout Love. Finally, the reason most people went to see and most other guitar players wanted to hear, ERUPTION. Remember, in 1977 the two handed tapping technique was virtually unknown in rock. At this point, Ed may have still been turning his back to the crowd while doing it. Either way, this earlier version must be heard. Also from VH 2 is D.O.A. Again, listen for the different lyrics. You Really Got Me closes the show. The background vocals leave a little to be desired, but that wasn’t the draw. It was Dave out front and Ed on guitar and he sounds great here. My original review had over 3100 letters so this is a shortened version. I had a lot more to say. In other words, definitely buy this. Listing 1 On Fire 2 Feel Your Love Tonight 3 Runnin With the Devil 4 Atomic Punk 5 Little Dreamer 6 Somebody Get Me A Doctor 7 Ice Cream Man 8 Ain't Talkin Bout Love 9 Eruption 10 D.O.A. 11 You Really Got Me

Not quite as brutal as Ghost Stories from 2016 but still plenty heavy. Song 5 Monster Fever is not as poppy sounding as Neurosis I Love You from the first album but would have been a decent single. Great musicianship all the way around. Songs 1 thru 4 are all great. My personal favorite is 12 which was included in the 30th anniversary release. Check out the slide guitar and trippy effects on Symphony of the Universe. If you like metal own this music. Roar From Another Dimension 1 Voice of Nothing 2 God of the Wind 3 Paranormal 4 Oni Dancing in the Moonlight Night 5 Monster Fever 6 Symphony of the Universe 7 Full of Sun 8 Monologue of Fool 9 Devil's Prayer Book 10 Tour Conductor of Nightmare 11 Heavy Rider From Hell 12 Sorrow of an Outsider

Another excellent album with so many good songs. Tracks 2 and 4 sound eerie with a creepy slide guitar embellishing Watcher in the Attic. Montes Apenninus has an acoustic Sabbath feel while Disclosure By Universe features more slide. Guitarist Shinji Wajima has cited Jimmy Page as one of his biggest influences. See if you can find at least 4 tracks with a theremin. Discovering this band is reminiscent of hearing and being blown away by Led Zeppelin for the first time and then finding out they had 9 other albums to digest. With over 30 years of history Ningen Isu has 22 studio 2 live and 5 best of albums to absorb. Not to mention the DVDs. Look for covers of Zep and King Crimson. Enjoy If you like metal own this music. New Youth 1 Preface of New Youth 2 Hellish Mirror 3 Blasphemy 4 Watcher in the Attic 5 The Count of Monte Cristo 6 Even the Blossoming Flowers 7 Disclosure by Universe 8 The World You Don't Know 9 Hellish Kid 10 Hell-sent Child 11 Montes Apenninus 12 A Dark Night's Passing 13 Heartless Scat 14 Hell's Banquet

This album really rocks. Metal fans should love this album. I’m hearing elements of Maiden, Sabbath and Metallica. Every track is at least good while 1 2 4 7-10 and 12 are all great. I highly recommend getting this. You’ll be glad you did.

Extremely good album. Every song is a winner, not a loser in the bunch. Hard to pick any standout tracks. Heavy guitar, interesting bass lines, thundering drumming. Any metal fan should enjoy this listen. I absolutely recommend getting this.

Anniversary set from over a decade ago, but still great. There is some overlap with 25 & 30th anniversary releases, but some songs are different or no longer available versions. English track listing at American site cd universe. Be smart and buy this. No regrets.

Coming only 5 years before the recent 30th anniversary release, there is overlap with that set but also 12 songs different. The best songs from disc 1 are 1 thru 4 and 8 thru 14. Best disc 2 songs are 1 4 my favorite 5 thru 7 9 and 13. Check wikipedia for English track listing. There is some overlap between 25 and 30 year sets but some of the songs are different or no longer available versions. You won’t be disappointed.

Very good record and the bonus tracks are nice. The best tracks are 1 2 7 9 10 and 12. This is the first of the individual releases I have purchased. I already own their 20 25 and 30th anniversary releases. From here I will be getting more of their catalog.